24 Hours At ILTACON 24

This summer, I was thrilled to see the Olympic Games in Paris in person (bucket list item, check!) Over that two-week period, I was astonished to see how fast people could run or swim, how high they could jump, and how far athletes could push the bounds of human potential.

Though I was merely a spectator in Paris, I recently got to run my own race — “24 hours at ILTACON” — where I attempted to squeeze in a week’s worth of networking, education, and socializing into a 24-hour period.

Off to a Rocky Start, but First Hurdle Cleared

My first hurdle actually presented itself before I even got on the plane to Nashville. Even though I had a confirmed reservation at the Gaylord Opryland, the hotel emailed me that I had been moved to another hotel due an overbooking error.

Though I was super disappointed, I was grateful to be greeted with great hospitality and kindness from the ILTA Reception staff. Armed with my badge complete with awesome klik syncing capability, I felt a surge of energy take the place of my initial irritation.

Onward and upward!

The Exhibit Hall Party Never Disappoints!

ILTACON’s exhibit hall party on Monday night is legendary — and for good reason, because it never fails to impress and kick the conference off right!

In keeping with a Nashville-inspired theme, the cavernous room was filled with wannabe Dolly Partons, Willie Nelsons and specialty drinks, especially local favorites whiskey and bourbon.

Smiles were ubiquitous and plenty of world-class tchotchkes showed remarkable creativity.

Well done, sponsors!

Early Morning Breakfast, and Record-Setting Stats

After a very few hours of sleep, I rallied for the 7:30 a.m. press conference breakfast meeting on Tuesday.

ILTA told us that ILTACON 24 had 4,186 registrations as of that morning, a record-setting performance. Also, 34 countries were represented among those attending, proof positive of ILTA’s growing global reach.

And speaker selectivity was at an all-time high — 336 speakers were chosen from an applicant pool of 944 candidates. I was certainly looking forward to hearing from them.

Creating a Safe Space

One of the early morning sessions I attended was the Operation Safe Spaces Town Hall, delivered by Women in eDiscovery™ leaders who spearheaded the Operation Safe Spaces (OSS) Task Force.

The OSS Task Force has a mission to “foster and encourage safe environments and promote a culture of mutual respect spanning the global legal and legal technology industries.”

The speakers emphasized that OSS is not only focused on ensuring people’s safety at ILTA conferences, but it also aims to set standards for an environment of mutual respect in the everyday workplace for ILTA community members.

ILTA CEO Joy Heath Rush attended the session to show her dedication to keeping all 4,186 of us safe throughout ILTACON and beyond. Follow OSS here on LinkedIn to support their much needed and inspiring efforts. 

Navigating The Race for Innovation

Ever wonder “How to Grow an Innovator”?

A dynamic panel discussion bearing this name shared a fascinating glimpse into the world of innovation, which can be an uphill battle at law firms typically steeped in precedent “do what was done before” thinking.

Themes like collaboration, communication, empathy and inclusivity permeate the innovation process, with these softer skills allowing people freedom to get out of their silos and think differently to enable new approaches to take flight.

A Little Detour for Tranquility

Needing respite from a busy morning, I headed to the ILTACON Tranquility Room for a recharge.

The room was dark except for calming blue and green lighting, and a circle of comfortable furniture beckoned me to sit down.

I reclined and closed my eyes for about 5 minutes, maybe 10, and forgot all about legal tech until I opened them.

Special thanks to Crystal Little of ILTA, who is also a reiki master by the way, for making this such a special place to chill and meditate. Of course, just speaking with Crystal is enough to make anyone’s day brighter — highly recommended!

Forging the Future for Legal Tech in Law Schools

Refreshed after a boisterous lunch where we discussed the perils of living in Manhattan apartments, my next stop was a session hosted by Aderant and Vanderbilt Law titled “Forging the Future – Catalyzing Innovative Legal Tech Collaborations with Law Schools.” ‘

Addressing a packed audience, the fireside chat featured Aderant CTO Andy Hoyt and Mark J. Williams, founding co-director of VAILL (Vanderbilt AI Law Lab). Andy spoke about Aderant’s dedication to AI development and his interactions with Vanderbilt Law faculty and students.

Mark shared how AI experimentation and legal tech education have successfully found their way into the school’s curriculum, work which will hopefully open doors to greater access to justice for underserved populations.

Audience members, many of whom were law school faculty or tech vendors themselves, engaged in interactive Q&A with Andy and Mark, showing their openness to incorporating more tech-related opportunities into their students’ law school experience.

Off-the-Charts Networking

One of the best parts of ILTACON is reuniting with old friends and making new ones. Instead of thinking about business or trying to close deals, I really enjoyed just talking to people.

The ILTA community has some of the nicest, smartest, funniest, and most interesting people you will ever meet, and this conference reminded me of that. Every table I sat down at led to an interesting conversation or hearty laughter.

How often in life can you say that?

A Race Well Run

Though I spent only 24 hours at ILTACON 24, it was a truly rewarding experience that I will always remember. Despite a rocky start, I made it to the end of my race and now have more knowledge, perspective, and connection to ILTA and the legal tech community than I did when I started.